Organizational Behaviour: Science, the Real World and You - Assignment Example

Organisations do not merely exist given that they are carefully managed in order to attain the predetermined goals and objectives. As such, knowledgeof organisational behaviour becomes indispensable. Wener et al, 2007 posit to the effect that a solid understanding and appreciation of how people behave in organisations and what causes them to behave the way they do is the first step in managing organisational behaviour effectively. When the managers appreciate the forces that shape organisational behaviour, they can use new tools and techniques to enhance individual as well as organisational performance. As such, this presentation seeks to outline the factors that influence organisational behaviour in Qatar and Pakistan. Schein’s model of three levels of culture will be used in synthesizing the discussion of the concept of organisational behaviour in these two countries and the factors that influence it. The paper starts by explaining the meaning of organisational behaviour in order to gain a full understanding of the whole concept. Basically, the study of organization behaviour provides the guidelines that both managers and workers can use to understand and appreciate the many forces that affect their behaviour and to make correct decisions about how to motivate and coordinate people and other resources in order to achieve the organisational goals (Wener et al 2007, p.3). Against this background, Rollinson (2008) suggests that culture plays a pivotal role in determining and shaping the behaviour of the people within a particular organisation. Culture can be loosely defined as the way people behave. As such, Schein identified three levels of culture and these are going to be used in the discussion of organizational behaviour in Pakistan and Qatar. According to research conducted by Noor (2009) which is entitled, ‘Examining organizational citizenship behaviour as the outcome of organizational commitment: a study of universities teachers of Pakistan,’ it can be noted that organizational commitment is significantly associated with the organizational citizenship behaviour as its construct. Thus, the behaviour is characterised as an individual attribute of the employee which determines the way some of the employees are seen behaving more consistently than the others. The research found that training and development plans of the individuals can be supportive of the organisational objectives if they do have a clear sense of direction within the organisation. The research also found that employee commitment to the organisation can be attributed to organisation citizenship behaviour. It can therefore be argued that the culture in Pakistan plays a significant role in shaping the behaviour of the people within a particular organisation. As suggested by Schein, the culture in Pakistan can be divided into three broad categories and these shape the behaviour of people in different organisations. The above mentioned research by Noor (2009) suggests that the Pakistan culture is characterised by all the attributes suggested by Schein. In Pakistan, all the citizens share the same myths and taboos and these significantly influence the way they behave in various discourses. These shared beliefs and norms are strategically embedded in the culture of many organisations and they shape the way people behave. It can also be noted that organisational behaviour in Pakistan is greatly influenced by the language, symbols as well as artefacts and creations that are shared by all the citizens. These are incorporated in the culture of the organisation which in turn shapes its behaviour. Secondly, it can be noted that organisational behaviour in Pakistan is shaped by the values and beliefs held by the employees within a certain organisation. Trust and honest is created through the involvement of the employees in the decision making process. This helps to promote commitment to the organisation since they will have a positive identity towards it. Behaviour in different organisations in this country is also formed on the basis of reward system in place. Appropriate rewards for the employees are seen as very important in motivating them to behave positively towards the organisation. Thirdly, it has been observed that basic assumptions held by the individuals significantly contribute in shaping their behaviour in the organisation. If the individuals are given the autonomy to contribute towards the decisions made by the organisation in a respected way, they behave positively towards it. Competition and collaboration is also used as the desired mode of behaviour in Pakistan given that the employees commit more positively to their work if they have the autonomy to contribute their ideas towards the running of the organisation. It can be seen that there is a correlation between training and development opportunities and employee commitment. On the other hand, it can be noted that the organisational behaviour of employees in Qatar is also influenced by various factors as going to be outlined below. Culture plays a significant role in shaping the behaviour of the people in Qatar as a whole. This culture is also incorporated in the operations of various organisations since it reflects the values and beliefs of the citizens of this country. It can be noted that cultural values that are not compatible with the value system of the citizens of a particular country may not be readily accepted by the employees. This can affect on their level of commitment as well as behaviour to the organisation. As such, it can be noted that the type of culture in Qatar is collectivist (Campbell & Nelson, 2010). In such type of culture, it can be noted that the people belonging to that particular group of culture collectively share various beliefs and values that often determine their behaviour towards something. This type of culture also plays a role in influencing the behaviour of the employees in the workplace as aptly suggested by Schein in his three levels of culture. This model is going to be illustrated in brief below in a bid to establish the cultural factors that influence the behaviour of employees in different organisations in Qatar. It can be observed that the people in Qatar share the same myths and rites given that their culture is collectivist. As such, their behaviour is mainly influenced by these and research has shown that organisations that are concerned about their viability take these aspects into consideration in as much as their effort to positively change the behaviour of the employees is concerned. The norms as well as the artefacts are commonly shared and understood to mean the same thing by many people in Qatar. These help in shaping their behaviour towards their work if they are incorporated into the organisational culture. It can also be seen that symbols and language are collectively shared and these help in shaping the behaviour of the people working in different organisations. It has also been seen that values and beliefs play a pivotal role in shaping the culture which influences the people within an organisation to behave in a certain way. The management principles are built on trust and honesty where the employees believe that their leaders are role models who can motivate them to positively change their behaviour towards the organisation. This in turn leads to employee commitment in the long run. When employees are aware that they will benefit through a reward program for their effort in the tasks expected of them, there will be likely chances that they can change their behaviour. Finally, the leaders in different organisations try to give due respect to their employees and they often solicit for their views in making the decisions. This significantly helps in shaping their behaviour towards any company. Over and above, it can be concluded that there are various factors that influence the people to behave in a particular way within an organisation. This kind of behaviour plays a pivotal role in determining the effectiveness of the organisation as a whole in terms of its effectiveness as well as competitiveness. Positive behaviour to the organisation can also enhance employee commitment which contributes to its overall performance. However, it has been observed that positive organisational behaviour by the employees can be attributed to culture of the organisation that is shared by all the members involved. Training and development also play a pivotal role in positively changing the behaviour of the employees towards the organisation since this can enable them to keep pace with the changes taking place in the environment in which the company will be operating. References Campbell, J & Nelson, D 2010, Organizational behaviour: Science, the real world and You, Viewed 24 October, 2011, . Grobler, P Et al 2006, Human Resource Management, 3rd Edition, Thompson Learning, London. Noor, A, Examining Organizational Citizenship Behaviour As The Outcome Of Organizational Commitment: A Study Of Universities Teachers Of Pakistan, Proceedings 2nd CBRC, Lahore, Pakistan, November 14, 2009. Rollinson, D et al 2008, Organisational behaviour and analysis: An integrated approach. 4th Edition, Pearson education, London. Werner, A Et al 2007, Organisational behaviour: A contemporary SA perspective,2nd Edition, Van Schaik Publishers, Cape Town:CT. Read More